Crime in the Northumbria Police area: statistics, rates and trends
147,979 crimes were recorded in the Northumbria Police area in the 12 months to July 2026, 98.0 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and down 14% on the year before.
Table of Contents
- Crime in the Northumbria Police area at a glance
- Crime trends in the Northumbria Police area
- Types of crime in the Northumbria Police area
- The Northumbria Police area compared with nearby police force areas
- Areas within the Northumbria Police area
- What happened after crimes were reported in the Northumbria Police area
- Population and deprivation in the Northumbria Police area
- Questions about crime in the Northumbria Police area
- About this data
147,979 crimes were recorded in the Northumbria Police area in the 12 months to July 2026, 98.0 per 1,000 residents. That is close to the England and Wales rate of 96.4, and down 14% on the year before. The most common offence was violence and sexual offences, with 44,466 reports (30% of the total).
Of the 42 police force areas covered by this site, the Northumbria Police area has the 14th highest crime rate.
| Measure | the Northumbria Police area | England | England and Wales |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crimes, the 12 months to July 2026 | 147,979 | 5,360,756 | 5,665,700 |
| Crimes per 1,000 residents | 98.0 | 96.4 | 96.4 |
| Change on previous 12 months | -14% | -1% | -1% |
| Population | 1,509,809 | 55,610,437 | 58,797,018 |
Recorded crime in the Northumbria Police area was highest in the year to July 2018 (219,300 crimes) and lowest in the year to July 2026 (147,979). Over the whole period it fell 33%, against a fall of 4% across England and Wales. Rates use today's population for every year, so they show the direction of change rather than exact historic rates.
| Period | Crimes | Per 1,000 | England and Wales per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year to July 2026 | 147,979 | 98.0 | 96.4 |
| Year to July 2025 | 171,802 | 113.8 | 97.1 |
| Year to July 2024 | 184,326 | 122.1 | 97.7 |
| Year to July 2023 | 190,536 | 126.2 | 5.2 |
| Year to July 2022 | 182,891 | 121.1 | 101.3 |
| Year to July 2021 | 199,249 | 132.0 | 102.1 |
| Year to July 2020 | 194,011 | 128.5 | 101.9 |
| Year to July 2019 | 208,650 | 138.2 | 101.5 |
| Year to July 2018 | 219,300 | 145.3 | 100.6 |
Month by month
| Month | Crimes |
|---|---|
| July 2026 | 13,335 |
| June 2026 | 12,669 |
| May 2026 | 13,380 |
| April 2026 | 12,319 |
| March 2026 | 11,343 |
| February 2026 | 8,672 |
| January 2026 | 4,556 |
| December 2025 | 12,896 |
| November 2025 | 13,892 |
| October 2025 | 15,033 |
| September 2025 | 14,586 |
| August 2025 | 15,298 |
The table shows every category of crime recorded in the Northumbria Police area over the 12 months to July 2026. The index compares the local rate with England and Wales: 1.00 is the national rate, 2.00 is double it. Rates were well above the national level for anti-social behaviour, shoplifting, criminal damage and arson.
The largest increases were in robbery (+33%) and other crime (+26%). The largest falls were in drugs (-41%) and other theft (-23%).
| Crime type | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Index (E&W = 1.00) | Change on year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Violence and sexual offences | 44,466 | 29.5 | 0.86 | -21% |
| Anti-social behaviour | 29,191 | 19.3 | 1.26 | -6% |
| Shoplifting | 17,839 | 11.8 | 1.43 | -2% |
| Criminal damage and arson | 13,119 | 8.7 | 1.28 | -15% |
| Public order | 10,261 | 6.8 | 1.02 | -22% |
| Other theft | 7,726 | 5.1 | 0.80 | -23% |
| Burglary | 6,149 | 4.1 | 1.15 | -11% |
| Vehicle crime | 6,064 | 4.0 | 0.82 | -8% |
| Other crime | 5,302 | 3.5 | 1.66 | +26% |
| Drugs | 2,894 | 1.9 | 0.59 | -41% |
| Robbery | 1,899 | 1.3 | 0.93 | +33% |
| Possession of weapons | 1,161 | 0.8 | 0.79 | -22% |
| Theft from the person | 1,031 | 0.7 | 0.40 | +6% |
| Bicycle theft | 877 | 0.6 | 0.71 | -16% |
Violence and sexual offences in the Northumbria Police area
Violence and sexual offences covers offences against the person, from common assault to homicide, and sexual offences. The Northumbria Police area recorded 44,466 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (29.5 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 34.2, and down 21% on the year before. It made up 30.0% of all crime in the area.
Anti-social behaviour in the Northumbria Police area
Anti-social behaviour covers personal, environmental and nuisance anti-social behaviour. The Northumbria Police area recorded 29,191 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (19.3 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 15.3, and down 6% on the year before. It made up 19.7% of all crime in the area.
Shoplifting in the Northumbria Police area
Shoplifting covers theft from shops or stalls. The Northumbria Police area recorded 17,839 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (11.8 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 8.3, and down 2% on the year before. It made up 12.1% of all crime in the area.
Criminal damage and arson in the Northumbria Police area
Criminal damage and arson covers deliberate damage to property, including setting fire to it. The Northumbria Police area recorded 13,119 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (8.7 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 6.8, and down 15% on the year before. It made up 8.9% of all crime in the area.
Public order in the Northumbria Police area
Public order covers offences that cause fear, alarm or distress. The Northumbria Police area recorded 10,261 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (6.8 per 1,000 residents), close to the England and Wales rate of 6.6, and down 22% on the year before. It made up 6.9% of all crime in the area.
Other theft in the Northumbria Police area
Other theft covers theft not covered by another category, such as theft by an employee or of unattended items. The Northumbria Police area recorded 7,726 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (5.1 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 6.4, and down 23% on the year before. It made up 5.2% of all crime in the area.
Burglary in the Northumbria Police area
Burglary covers entering a home or other building as a trespasser to steal, or with intent to steal. The Northumbria Police area recorded 6,149 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (4.1 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 3.5, and down 11% on the year before. It made up 4.2% of all crime in the area.
Vehicle crime in the Northumbria Police area
Vehicle crime covers theft of or from a vehicle, and interfering with a vehicle. The Northumbria Police area recorded 6,064 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (4.0 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 4.9, and down 8% on the year before. It made up 4.1% of all crime in the area.
Other crime in the Northumbria Police area
Other crime covers offences not covered by another category, such as forgery and perjury. The Northumbria Police area recorded 5,302 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (3.5 per 1,000 residents), higher than the England and Wales rate of 2.1, and up 26% on the year before. It made up 3.6% of all crime in the area.
Drugs in the Northumbria Police area
Drugs covers possession, supply and production of controlled drugs. The Northumbria Police area recorded 2,894 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (1.9 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 3.3, and down 41% on the year before. It made up 2.0% of all crime in the area.
Robbery in the Northumbria Police area
Robbery covers theft using force or the threat of force. The Northumbria Police area recorded 1,899 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (1.3 per 1,000 residents), close to the England and Wales rate of 1.4, and up 33% on the year before. It made up 1.3% of all crime in the area.
Possession of weapons in the Northumbria Police area
Possession of weapons covers carrying or possessing a weapon such as a firearm or knife. The Northumbria Police area recorded 1,161 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.8 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 1.0, and down 22% on the year before. It made up 0.8% of all crime in the area.
Theft from the person in the Northumbria Police area
Theft from the person covers theft of property carried on the person, such as pickpocketing, without force. The Northumbria Police area recorded 1,031 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.7 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 1.7, and up 6% on the year before. It made up 0.7% of all crime in the area.
Bicycle theft in the Northumbria Police area
Bicycle theft covers the taking of a bicycle without the owner's consent. The Northumbria Police area recorded 877 reports in the 12 months to July 2026 (0.6 per 1,000 residents), lower than the England and Wales rate of 0.8, and down 16% on the year before. It made up 0.6% of all crime in the area.
Crime rates in the police force areas closest to the Northumbria Police area, for the 12 months to July 2026. The last column shows each area's rate relative to the Northumbria Police area.
| Police force area | Crimes | Per 1,000 | Rate vs the Northumbria Police area |
|---|---|---|---|
| Durham | 78,271 | 120.3 | +23% |
| Cleveland | 93,468 | 155.7 | +59% |
| North Yorkshire | 59,780 | 70.8 | -28% |
| Cumbria | 39,588 | 77.5 | -21% |
| West Yorkshire | 291,429 | 119.7 | +22% |
| Lancashire | 165,932 | 103.6 | +6% |
| Humberside | 98,156 | 102.0 | +4% |
| South Yorkshire | 165,328 | 115.6 | +18% |
6 areas within the Northumbria Police area, ordered by crime rate over the 12 months to July 2026. Newcastle upon Tyne had the highest rate (119.6 per 1,000) and Northumberland the lowest (79.4). Busy town and city centres often show high rates because many of the people there do not live there.
| Area | Type | Population | Crimes | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newcastle upon Tyne | District | 320,605 | 38,331 | 119.6 |
| South Tyneside | District | 151,393 | 15,836 | 104.6 |
| Sunderland | District | 288,606 | 28,651 | 99.3 |
| Gateshead | District | 202,760 | 19,584 | 96.6 |
| North Tyneside | District | 215,025 | 19,275 | 89.6 |
| Northumberland | District | 331,420 | 26,302 | 79.4 |
The latest recorded outcome for crimes in the Northumbria Police area over the 12 months to July 2026. Many cases are still open when the data is published, and anti-social behaviour has no outcome recorded, so these shares change as investigations finish.
| Outcome | Crimes | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Investigation complete; no suspect identified | 48,523 | 32.8% |
| Under investigation | 32,047 | 21.7% |
| Status update unavailable | 31,290 | 21.1% |
| Not recorded | 29,191 | 19.7% |
| Court result unavailable | 3,908 | 2.6% |
| Awaiting court outcome | 1,440 | 1.0% |
| Unable to prosecute suspect | 540 | 0.4% |
| Offender given a caution | 516 | 0.3% |
| Local resolution | 321 | 0.2% |
| Suspect charged as part of another case | 133 | 0.1% |
| Further action is not in the public interest | 31 | 0.0% |
| Action to be taken by another organisation | 28 | 0.0% |
The Northumbria Police area has an estimated population of 1,509,809. On the England IoD 2025, the average neighbourhood in the Northumbria Police area sits in decile 4.7, close to the middle. Deprivation and recorded crime are linked, but many other factors shape local crime rates.
| Measure | the Northumbria Police area |
|---|---|
| Aged 0 to 15 | 17.0% |
| Aged 16 to 64 | 62.2% |
| Aged 65 and over | 20.9% |
| Homes owned outright or with a mortgage | 59.2% |
| Social rented homes | 23.9% |
| Private rented homes | 16.8% |
| Average deprivation decile (1 = most deprived, 10 = least) | 4.7 |
| Residents in the most deprived 10% of areas | 19.1% |
Is the Northumbria Police area a safe place to live?
The Northumbria Police area recorded 98.0 crimes per 1,000 residents in the 12 months to July 2026, close to the England and Wales rate of 96.4. Crime is concentrated in a small number of places within most areas, often busy centres and transport hubs, so the rate for a single street can differ a lot from the area as a whole.
What is the most common crime in the Northumbria Police area?
Violence and sexual offences was the most common category, with 44,466 reports in the 12 months to July 2026, followed by anti-social behaviour (29,191).
Is crime in the Northumbria Police area going up or down?
Recorded crime in the Northumbria Police area was down 14% on the year before: 147,979 crimes in the 12 months to July 2026 against 171,802 in the previous 12 months.
How are these crime rates calculated?
Each rate is the number of crimes recorded by the police in the 12 months to July 2026, divided by the resident population and multiplied by 1,000. Crime data is from data.police.uk and population estimates are from the Office for National Statistics.
Figures are police-recorded crime published on data.police.uk, covering August 2017 to July 2026. Each crime is counted in the small area (LSOA) where it was recorded and added up to the Northumbria Police area. Crimes recorded by British Transport Police are not included.
Population figures are ONS mid-year estimates. See the methodology for details.